Control device for bell ringing mechanism



Dec. 12, 1933. s MERRlLL 1,938,712

CONTROL DEVICE FOR BELL RINGING MECHANISM Filed July 26, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet l .illllllllllllllllllllll l wk Qeewrflau A TTORNE Yv Dec.12, l933.- s. B. MERRILL CONTROL DEVICE FOR BELL RINGlNG MECHANISM FiledJuly 26, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HHH| II "N m ll 11W "EN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 12, 1933 CONTROL DEVICE FOR BELL RINGING MECHANISM SidneyB. Merrill, Cincinnati, Ohio Application July 26, 1926. Serial No.124,921

Claims.

g times.

It is the object of my invention to provide, in combination with amember of a bell ringing mechanism which goes through a cycle ofmovement during the operation of the bell, for an electricalcontrolsystem, by which an operator can actuate the bell in a desiredmanner.

Chuch bells require for various religious occasions, different cycles ofoperation. For some occasions the bells are rung, which is the specificsense to which I refer, as compared with tolling, means that the strikerof the bell alternately strikes first one side of the bell, and then theother, without pausing with the striker against the walls of the bell.The tolling of a bell as distinguished from the ringing means-thestriking of the striker once against the wall of the bell, followed by adefinite pause, While in ringing a bell, there is no greater intervalbetween peals than is required for the actuating mechanism to oscillatefrom one end of its stroke to the other. As noted in the tolling of abell, there is a perceptible interval between strokes. In

actuating the bell so as to play the Angelus, a

combination of several ringing operations and pauses is required- Inmechanically operated bell ringing or tolling mechanism, it is of greatimportance for the prevention of undue strain on the mechanism, that thebell is stopped at, or as near as practical to the nearest instant restpoint of the bell in its period of swing. If a bell were to beelectrically controlled by some means which might get'out of time withthe operation of the bell, and the power were turned off and the brakeset while the bell was between the two instant rest points ofoscillation ofthe bell, then the operating mechanismwould be put to moreor less of a strain, possibly to such an extent that the gears would bestripped and the assembly torn from its base, which, in a bell towerhigh above the ground, might cause a disastrous accident. I 7

It is further of great importance that the ,bell be stopped insuch'positions that the clapper will not continue in motion or reboundfrom the bell spring against the walls of the bell and so spoil theregular rhythm of the strokes.

It is my object, therefore, to incorporate in combination with selectiveelectrical switch, means of shutting off the power for actuating thebell; for a control switch or switches in series or in parallel,operatively connected and adapted to be tripped by a physical partmoving in timed relation with the bell, so that operation is notinhibited until the bell has reached such a position in its stroke, thatthere will not be a tendency for the clapper to rebound or continue inmotion, and so that the bell will be stopped at or as near as practicalto its instant rest point in is period of oscillation.

The specific type of mechanism with which the mechanism herein describedwas particularly designed, is disclosed in the patent to Louis H. Blood,No. 1,626,464, dated.November 9, 1926. This bell ringing mechanismconsists of a bell having a suspended clapper therein with the bellmounted in a trunnioned yoke, with a peripheral rope engaging wheel orpulley connected with the trunnions so as to cause the bell torock fromone side to the other, and so carry its walls into engagement with theclapper. It should be understood, however, that my invention has otherapplication for use in connection with other types of hell ringingapparatus. 89

. Referring to the drawings in which I have illustrated a preferred typeof bell ringing mechamsm:-

Figure l is a side elevation showing the bell ringing mechanism. Figurela is asmall scale assembly view of the mechanism andthe bell.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the mechanism shown in Figure 1. VFigure 3 is a plan view of a preferred type of regulating mechanism fortiming the operation of the bell ringing mechanism. 1

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the timing mechanism illustrated inFigure 3. Figure 5 is a wiring diagram showing the elec trical system.

Generally indicated at 1 in Figures 1 and 2, is'shown the cable whichengages .the driving pulley of the bell yoke (not shown). The cable isdriven in a clockwise and counter clockwise direction by a driving.pulley 2, which is journalled in theframe or standards 3, which supportsthe bell ringing mechanism. The pulley 2 has a pinion 4 operativelyconnected therewith, which is engaged by a sliding rack member 5, on aslide member 10, which is reciprocated by a crank rod 6, which iseccentrically connected to a toothed gear '7. The toothed gear '7 ispart of a chain of gears which is preferably directly connected with adriving pinion 8 on an electric motor 9, which provides the power tooperate the ringing mechanism.

Referring to Fig. 5, which is a diagram of the motor 9 and itscontrolling electrical connections, the source of current connectsthrough the three wires 11, 11 and 12 under control of the triple barswitch 13 at upper left of the figure. It willbe'understood that lines11 and 11 will be at the extremes of potential, while line 12 has anintermediate potential; although my invention is not limited to suchparticular system of current supply.

Lines 11, 11' and 12 lead to the motor 9 at the lower right of thediagram, through a switch box 14 in which switches 15 are cut into thewires 11 and 11 and are adapted to be closed by energization of a magnet16, and to open automatically upon deenergization of said magnet, whichhas one end of its coil connected to wire 11 and the other end of itscoil connected to a wire 11a. running to one terminal of aswitch 17,which is shown as being closed, for continuousringing.

Two like switches 18 and 19, shown as being open, are for tolling andringing of the Angelus, respectively, in connection with apparatus to bedescribed.

The opposite terminal of switch 17 is connected by a wire 1211 with thewire 12. The wire 20 leads from the wire 12a to one terminal of theupper positive stop switch 22; and a wire 21 leads to one terminal ofthe lower positive stop switch 2241. These switches 22 and 22a are shownin Fig.1 mounted on brackets on the supporting frame 3; and the slidemember 10, before described, is shown as havingbrackets 23 at its topand bottom to strike one or the other switch 22 or 22a and open it,accordingly as the slide member 10 is at the top or bottom of itsstroke; the normal position of the switch being a closed one unless sostruck. The opposite terminals of the two switches 22 and 22a areconnected by a wire 21a, as seen in Fig. 5.

A braking drum turns with the motor 9, and a braking band 24 is adaptedto grip the drum under pressure of the weight 25 unless the weight 25 islifted by energization of a magnet 24a having its terminals connected tothe wires 11 and 12 by wires 11c and 121), respectively.

The tolling and Angelus ringing devices may be understood from theillustration of the latter device in Figs. 3 and 4; and they arediagrammatically shown in Fig. 5. The tolling disk 26 is rotated by amotor 27 through worm gearing after the manner illustrated for theAngelus ringing device of Figs. 3 and 4, so that the disk 26rotatesrelatively slowly. This tolling disk 26 has in its periphery a series ofnotches 26a spaced at intervals corresponding to the intervals at whicha stroke on the bell is to be made in tolling. A switch 28 that isadapted to snap closed, in circuit completing position, has a projectionwithin the-path of a series of pins 29 in the side of the tolling disk26, in such manner that a passing pin 29 will pull the switch 28 open,and then, upon suflicient passage, allow the switch to snap shut again.A similar switch 29a has a shoe 29c riding on the notched periphery ofthe disk 25 and adapted to open the switch 29a when riding on theperipheral surfaces 29d between the disk notches 26a, but to allow theswitch to close when dropping into any one of these notches 26a. Bothswitches 28 and 29a have respective terminals connected by a wire 18awith one terminal of the toll starting switch 18, the other terminal ofwhich is connected by wire 18b with the other terminal of the switch 28,and, by a wire 180 with the motor 27 that rotates the tolling disk 26.The common connection 18a, of the two switches 28 and 29a is connectedto the wire 12a by a Wire 1811. The other terminal of the switch 29aconnects by a wire 2% with a wire 1111 leading from the Wire Thearrangement of the parts and wiring of the Angelus ringing device is thesame as that of the tolling device just described, excepting thedetailed formation and provision of the Angelus ringing disk 30, as willbe described. Thisdisk 30 is driven by the motor 31. There are the twoswitches 32 and 33, the first actuated by a single pin 34 instead of byseveral pins as the switch 28 of the tolling device; and the shoe 33a,of the switch 33 rides on lesser raised parts 331) and greater recessedparts 330 of the disk 30, with several raised parts 33b in closesuccession and then a much greater interval of recessed part 33d. Wire1911. connects terminals of both switches 32 and 33 with one terminal ofswitch 19, the other terminal of which is connected with the otherterminal of switch 32 by wire 197), which also connects to one terminalof the motor 31 by a wire 190. The other terminal of the other switch 33connects to the wire 11d leading to the wire 11a.

The opposite terminals of both motors 2'7 and 30 are connected to a wire112) leading from the Wire 11.

With the switch 1'7 closed the circuit will be through wire 11, coil ofmagnet 16, closing switches 15, through switch 17, and wire 12a to wire12; also, by closing of switches 15, there will be a circuit from wire11 through left switch 15 to one outer terminal of bell ringing motor 9,through this motor, starting ringing of bell, through wire 11 and rightswitch 15. Also there will be, dependent upon the closing of switch 17,a circuit through wire 12, wire 12b, coil of magnet 24a, wire 11c andright switch 15, releasing the brake 24 so that the motor 9 may turn andring the bell. There also will be established a shunt circuit from wire11a through wire 21, lowerpositive stop switch 22a, wire 21a, upperpositive stop switch 22, and wire 20, and wire 12a to wire 12 if theseswitches both are closed. It will be seen that the one which is open,the upper switch 22 in Fig. 1 under pressure of slide bracket 23, willclose as soon as the bracket 23 leaves it, as after the start of thedownward stroke of the slide member 10 to effect the first swing of thebell. As long as the starting switch 17 is left closed, this closure ofthis shunt circuit is of no consequence; but when it is desired to stopthe ringing of the bell and the switch 17 is opened, the next positivestop or limit switch 22 or 22a that is struck by a bracket 23 of theslide member 10 will thus be opened; and as this shunt connectionremained the only means of completion of circuit through bell ringingmotor 9 after starting switch 1'7 was opened, the opening of the switch22 or 22a breaks the circuit through the motor 9, which may thus bestopped suddenly by the brake 24, allowed to act because the circuitthrough magnet 24a also is opened. The opening of these circuits is dueto the deenergization of the magnet 16, allowing the switches 15 toopen: they having been kept closed by the closure of switches 22 and2211 after opening of switch 17. The result is that the mechanism willbe stopped at a certain definite stage of operation, when the slidemember 10 isfarthest down or farthest up, with the bell accordingly atinstant rest point. b

Tolling in the specific sense I refer to is one stroke of the bell at atime with an appreciable interval between strokes. The notches 26a inthe tolling disk 26 are made shallow and of such a size that the rollerwill go in and out quickly so there will be no possibility of more thanone stroke of the bell while the roller is in the notch Operation ofthetoller is started by closing switch 18, which starts the motor 27,which rotates tolling disk 26. At the start the roller is on a high partof the disk 26, as soon as a notch 26a is rotated under the roller, theswitch 29a is closed, and coil 16 is energized, which closes the circuitand starts the bell motor, the brake magnet being energized, releasesthe brake. The bell motor works the mechanism, and the bell starts tooscillate, but there is only one swing of the bell and one stroke of theclapper, because before the bell has completed one stroke, the notch 26ahas rotated away from and pushed the roller out on the periphery, andswitch 29a is opened which causes the bell to stop as predetermined atone of its instant rest points, as soon as the arm 23 opens one of thelimit switches. The coil 16 having been deenergized, the bell motorstops andthe brake 24 is applied. This is repeated at whatever intervalit takes the tolling disk 26 to rotate the detents under the roller. Tostop tolling the switch 18 is opened, which will stop the motor 27 assoon as stop pin 29 tripsthe switch 28, leaving the roller on thetolling disk on the high part between detents and the switch'29a open.

The limit switches 22 will effect thestopping of the bell and theoperating of the brake, when using the tolling disk and switch29asimilarly, as when using the continuous ringing switch 17.

It will further be apparent that I have provided a positive systemwhichwill always stop the swing of the bell at an instant rest point.The shunt circuitwhichkeeps the current supplied to the bell motorruntilthe bell mechanism has reached substantially the end of an oscillatingstroke prevents the bell stopping, for example, at the center of itsswing. The dangers to which reference has been made in the fifthparagraph of this specification arethus avoided.

The operation of the switch 19 and the, An-

gelus control detent 30 is difierent from the continuous ringing andtolling control inasmuch as the switch 19 may be closed for only aninterval, and the detent wheel will control the further operation. Amotor 31 is rotated with the closing of the switch 19 and the motormoves the detent wheel 30, which, after a brief interval, carries thestop pin 34 past the trip and allows the switch 32 to close. The switch33 is normally open and is closed when a follower 33a drops oil a raisedportion 33b onto an indent surface 330. As there is only one stop pin onthe Angelus detent wheel, the motor 31 will not be out out until acomplete revolution. In the illustration, the Angelus control detentwill cause the bell to pass through the following cycle:- three rings,pause, three rings, pause, three rings, pause, and then continuousringing during the remainder of the cycle until the stop pin 34 abutsthe stop switch 32, leaving the roller on a high spot on detent wheel 30which the switch 33 therefore open.

Other variations in detent wheels can be used to ring other series ofpeals; While I; have shownthe switches 17, 18, and 19 as manuallyoperable, Icontemplate the incorporation of the desired number ofswitches to be eitherelectrically operated or operated by some suitabletiming device. Such modifications will not be discussed herein, as theyform no part of my invention, which is essentially in providing aprimary switch control and secondary independent means of stopping thebell at desired positions in its swing, so as to have the strain on thebell ringing mechanism at a minimum, and to add greatly to the tone ofthe peals of the bell.

While I prefer to use a bell which swings, and which has a suspendedclapper, it is also within the scope of my. invention to actuate aclapper which swings within a bell by a similar arrangement.

Should the electric, power be cut off by accident or otherwise, in a waynot normally provided for, the brake 24 would'be immediately set,

and, if the bell were not at or nearthe point of instant rest, the bellringing mechanism would be under a more or less dangerous strain.

In order to control the operation to prevent such a contingency, I haveprovided a member to block the braking of the bell member. I have shownthis diagrammatically in Figure 5. A pivoted arm 35 is mounted sothat-it will normally be pulled by a spring 36 into position to hold upthe brake weight 25. An electromagnet 3'7 is arranged to normally pullthe arm 35 out of engaging position with the weight, but should thecurrent suddenly he cut oif .in the feed lines 11 and 12, the spring 36will pull the arm 35 into brake blocking position, and the bell will befree to swing to a natural position of rest against the friction of thebell operating mechanism. 7 q

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new anddesire tosecure by Letters Patent, is: A 1. In combination with an oscillatorymounted bell, operating mechanism including an 'electrical motor and acircuit for the motor, a con-,

troller switch in said circuit for permitting said motor to oscillatesaid bell when said circuit is closed, means cooperating with saidoperating mechanism for braking the, movement of the bell so as to stopthe bell at either ofits instant I;

means, a second circuit in shunt with said i switch means includingnormally closed switches, means whereby the last named switches areopened by said bell-sounding means at the ends of its reciprocatingmovement, and magnetically operated switch means in series with thefirst said switch means and said first and second circuits for closingthe motor circuit when energized.

3. In combination with a swinging bell, motive means, means connectingsaid motive means to 1::

said bell for causing the motive means to swing means moving saidelement in alternate directions in unison with the swinging of saidbell, and controlling means actuated by said element to interrupt theenergy supply and cause said means to set said brake, only for shortperiods of time near opposite ends of the swing of said bell.

4. In combination with a swinging bell, motive means, means connectingsaid motive means to said bell for causing the motive means to swingsaid bell between instant'rest points, a source of energy supply forsaid motive means, distinct controlling means actuatable to interruptthe energy supply to said motive means, one of said controlling meansbeing adapted for actuation to interrupt said energy supply according toa desired program of ringing of the bell, an element, and means movingsaid element in alternate directions in unison with the swinging of thebell, actuating the other controlling means to interrupt the energysupply only for short periods of time near opposite ends of the swingof. said bell.

5. In combination with a swinging bell, motive means, means connectingsaid motive means to said bell for causing the motive means to swingsaid bell between instant rest points, a source of energy supply forsaid motive means, distinct controlling means actuatable to interruptthe energy supply, one of said controlling means having an automaticallyrecurrent sequence of operations to interrupt the energy supplyaccording to a desired program of ringing of the bell, an element, andmeans moving said element in alternate directions in unison with theswinging of said bell, actuating the other controlling means tointerrupt the energy supply only for short periods of time near oppositeends of the swing of said bell.

6. In combination with a swinging bell, an electric motor, means wherebyrotation of said motor in only one direction causes said bell to swingalternately in opposite directions between instant rest points, a sourceof current supply for said motor, an element, and means moving saidelement in alternate directions in unison with the swinging of saidbell, and switch means controlling said current supply, actuated by saidelement to interrupt said current supply only for short periods of timenear opposite ends of the swing of said bell.

7. In combination with a swinging bell, an electric motor, meansconnecting said motor and .bell whereby said motor swings said bellbetween instant rest points, a brake to retard movement of the bell andmotor, means to set the brake, a magnet to release the brake whenenergized and hold the brake released as long as energized, a source ofcurrent supply, an element, means moving said element in alternatedirections in unison with the swinging of the bell, and switch means forconnecting the motor and the magnet with said source, said switch meansbeing actuated by said element to disconnect said motor and magnet fromsaid source near opposite ends of the swing of the bell.

8. In combination with a swinging bell, an electric motor, meansconnecting said motor and bell whereby said motor swings said bellbetween instant rest points, a source of current supply for said motor,switch means in circuit with said motor and said source, controllingsupply of current to the motor according to a desired program of ringingof the bell, an element, means moving said element in alternatedirections in unison with the swinging of the bell, and switch means inshunt circuit with the first mentioned switch means, actuated by saidelement to momentarily open the shunt circuit near opposite ends of theswing of the bell.

9. In combination with a swinging bell, power means, means connectingsaid power means to said bell for causing said power means to swing saidbell between instant rest points, and controlling means including adevice supplying energy to the power means intermittently according to adesired program of ringing of the bell, and a device acting in unisonwith swinging of the bell to supply energy to the power means withinterruptions of supply only for short periods of time near oppositeends of the swing of the bell.

10. In combination with a swinging bell, power means, means connectingsaid power means to said bell for causing said power means to swing thebell between instant rest points, and controlling means including a'device supplyingenergy to the power means intermittently according to adesired program of ringing of the bell, and a device acting in unisonwith swinging of the bell to supply energy to the power means withinterruptions of supply only for short periods of time near oppositeends of the swing of the bell, and a brake applied to retard theswinging of the bell during said interruptions of energy supply.

SIDNEY B. MERRILL.

